In this battle I had about 1,250 muskets, and lost in killed and wounded not more than 15; prisoners, none. We destroyed of the enemy in killed, wounded, and prisoners, in my judgment, at least 3,000. They left about 500 dead in my front, and it is known that they took many dead from the field-all of those remote from our lines. My officers and men behaved to my entire satisfaction. The men fired with cool deliberation and great effectiveness. While all behaved well I cannot pass on from this part of my report without making special mention of Captain Harvey, Fifth South Carolina Volunteer Regiment, and Captain Wood, First South Carolina Regiment. They commanded the skirmishers of their respective regiments in the charge upon the enemy, and executed their orders with an energy and boldness that was worthy of all praise. Not long before sunset I was ordered to report to General Ewell, on the right, without delay. I moved down as rapidly as possible, and found General Ewell in rear of that portion of the line which had been taken from Johnson's division in the morning, known as the Mule Shoe. My brigade was put in position to support the withdrawal of some troops of ours from this same Mule Shoe. We lay there under fire, but doing no fighting all night, and were withdrawn about daybreak to a new line constructed during the night some 400 or 500 yards in rear. We were in the course of the morning relieved and ordered back to General Field, who held us as reserve for our division until we left this part of the line. We lost during the night in killed and wounded about 70 men. The enemy's fire was incessant throughout the night. We did not fire a gun. On the night of the 14th we moved with the division toward the extreme right of our line, and were put into position on the right of Gregg's brigade, which was on the left of the division. On the morning of the 16th erected works, but had no fighting here other than a little skirmishing some distance in front of the line. On the evening of the 21st the whole corps marched for Hanover Junction, moving down the Telegraph road. On this severe and weary march, which was almost continuous for twenty-four hours, my brigade was rear guard. Nothing of importance occurred. The enemy followed closely upon us, occasionally engaging a squadron of cavalry in our rear, but did not molest anybody materially; they rather aided us in driving stragglers before us. We crossed North Anna River about sunset on the next evening (22d), and went into camp on the next morning (23d). One regiment was sent on picket to the railroad bridge over the river. Had some sharpshooting with the enemy across the river. The other four rested in a road near by. About midnight I received orders to destroy the railroad bridge and fall back to a position near to the junction and fortify, which was done. We remained in this position three or four days, skirmishing and sharpshooting all the while with the enemy until he retired across the river. Our loss was slight here. On the morning of the 27th we moved down the railroad to Ashland; thence passed Atlee's to the Totopotomoy Creek, near Walnut Grove Church, where we relieved some of Gordon's troops on May 30. Skirmishing on this line was severe, and our loss was greater than usual. On the evening of May 31 we began to slide to the right, and continued to do so until we arrived upon what was afterward known as the Cold Harbor line. My position on this line covered the road from Mechanicsville to Old Church. Our skir mishers were more or less actively engaged while moving from our last position, and after we settled in this, until the enemy left our front, which they did on the night of June 5. We shifted position on the line and advanced to Totopotomoy Swamp one evening, but did not come in contact with the enemy again on this line.* Respectfully submitted. JOHN BRATTON, No. 283. Report of Col. James R. Hagood, First South Carolina Infantry. HDQRS. FIRST SOUTH CAROLINA INFANTRY, December 20, 1864. CAPTAIN: I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations of this regiment since May 6 last: On the morning of that day we confronted the enemy at the Wilderness. After getting into position I was instructed by General Jenkins, commanding brigade, to support, if necessary, the regiment of General Kershaw's brigade immediately on my front, then hotly engaged with the enemy, and shortly afterward, receiving a message from the officer commanding the regiment stating that his ammunition was nearly exhausted and requesting me to relieve him, I moved forward and occupied his position, his men retiring on my arrival. The woods were very dense, shutting out all view excepting a short distance in front of my line. The timid firing of the enemy led me to suspect that he was not in heavy force, and to ascertain the truth of my suspicion I then forwarded two companies as skirmishers, with orders to press the enemy back if practicable. This they accomplished without much difficulty, driving them until their flanks were threatened, when I ordered a halt. In this movement I was not supported on either side. I immediately dispatched a message to General Jenkins informing him of the state of affairs and requesting supports. These never arrived, but in the mean time a movement was put into execution on the right which rendered them unnecessary. The enemy was driven off by an attack in flank. Later in the day, after considerable delay in unnecessary maneuvering, we arrived in front of the new position the enemy had taken up after his morning's discomfiture, and prepared to attack him. I was ordered to be governed by Colonel Coward's regiment-the battalion of direction. The movement began, I holding fast to Colonel Coward, who, instead of advancing directly to the front, obliqued considerably to the left, in conformity with the direction taken by the troops on his left. We were met by a heavy volley from the enemy, which for a moment staggered our line, causing some confusion. We, however, quickly recovered and continued the advance. I here discovered that the regiment which should have moved on my right was not there. In the density of the forest concluded it had temporarily gotten lost and I gave no more thought to it. Under a destructive fire I attained the enemy's works and drove him from them. He retired to a second line, keeping up a terrific fusillade, assisted by several pieces of artillery. The regiment alluded to a few lines back was still missing. My men and ammunition almost exhausted, I deemed it inexpedient to *For continuation of report, see Vol. XL, Part I. attempt anything further. I abandoned this position only when the troops on my left gave way (there were none on my right during any part of the advance) and the enemy threatened to cut me off. No further attack was ordered during the day. I carried into action 26 officers and 235 men; lost 2 officers killed and 3 wounded, 8 men killed and 79 wounded. Slight skirmishing lasted during the 7th and 8th ultimo [May]. On the night of the latter day we took up the line of march for Spotsylvania Court-House, which we reached early on the following morning after an exhaustive night march. Everything was gotten in readiness to attack the enemy, who had arrived here at the same time with us. We advanced, but failed to find him in the direction originally taken, when we changed front and pursued a course at right angles with the last. We shortly began skirmishing, which was kept up until night put a stop to it. On the next day we moved a short distance to the left and erected a line of temporary works of fallen trees. On the morning of the 10th the enemy assaulted our position, but were repulsed after a sharp contest of an hour and a half. My skirmish line, slightly re-enforced, held its position throughout the fight. More or less skirmishing occurred during the following day. On the 12th the enemy made a most determined attack, which was met with great gallantry by our men and repulsed after several hours of hard fighting. The density of the woods, the smoke, and other causes prevented me from ascertaining the moment of the enemy's withdrawal. I therefore advanced my skirmishers, assisted on my left by Captain Lyle, commanding Fifth South Carolina, and succeeded in capturing 17 or 18 of the enemy. A few days later the enemy abandoned our front, when we were transferred to the right extremity of the army. Nothing worthy of report occurred here until the night of May 17, when we evacuated our lines and moved in the direction of Hanover Junction. I began the action of Spotsylvania Court-House with 21 officers and 148 men. Lost 1 officer killed and 3 wounded, 2 men killed and 16 wounded. We remained at Hanover Junction from the 18th ultimo [May] until about the 25th. During this time we were engaged in several sharp skirmishes, resulting in the loss to my regiment of 1 officer wounded and 1 man killed. We next moved to the lines of the Chickahominy, where, after considerable maneuvering, we finally became established in the vicinity of Cold Harbor. On June 3 we had a sharp skirmish with the enemy with the loss of 1 man. abandoned these lines on the 12th and marched to the neighborhood of Frayser's farm.* Very respectfully, your obedient servant, We Capt. A. C. SORREL, A. A. G. JAMES R. HAGOOD, No. 284. Report of Lieut. Gen. Richard S. Ewell, C. S. Army, commanding Second Army Corps, of operations May 4–29. RICHMOND, VA., March 20, 1865. COLONEL: When General Grant crossed the Rapidan, R. D. Johnston's (North Carolina) brigade, of Rodes' division, was at Hanover *For continuation of report, see Vol. XL, Part I. Junction; the Twenty-first Georgia, of Doles' brigade, same division, and Hoke's (North Carolina) brigade, of Early's division, were in North Carolina. About 13,500 effective infantry and 2,000 artillery were present. By order of General Lee, his corps and division commanders met him on Monday, May 2, 1864, at the signal station on Clark's Mountain. He then gave it as his opinion that the enemy would cross by some of the fords below us, as Germanna or Ely's. They began to do so next day. About noon of the 4th we moved from our camps on the Rapidan toward Locust Grove, on the old turnpike from Orange Court-House to Fredericksburg. Johnson's division and Nelson's battalion of artillery bivouacked 2 miles south of Locust Grove, Rodes just behind them, and Early at Locust Grove. The artillery was close behind Early; Ramseur's brigade, of Rodes' division, with three regiments from each of the other divisions, was left on picket. Next morning I moved down the pike, sending the First North Carolina Cavalry, which I found in my front, on a road that turned to the left toward Germanna Ford. About 8 a. m. I sent Maj. Campbell Brown, of my staff, to General Lee to report my position. In reply he instructed me to regulate my march by General A. P. Hill, whose progress down the plank road I could tell by the firing at the head of his column, and informed me that he preferred not to bring on a general engagement before General Longstreet came up. Advancing slowly with John M. Jones' brigade, of Johnson's division, in advance, prepared for action, I came about 11 a. m. in sight of a column of the enemy crossing the pike from Germanna Ford toward the plank road. The Stonewall Brigade (Walker's) had been sent down a left-hand road, driving in the enemy's pickets within 14 miles of Germanna Ford. Being a good deal ahead of General Hill, I halted and again reported through LieutenantColonel Pendleton, of my staff, receiving substantially the same instructions as before. Just after they came the enemy demonstrated against Jones' brigade, and I placed Battle's brigade, of Rodes' divis ion, to support it, with Doles' on Battle's right. They were instructed not to allow themselves to become involved, but to fall back slowly if pressed. Some artillery posted near the pike on Jones' front was withdrawn. Soon afterward the enemy fell suddenly upon Jones' right flank and front, broke his brigade, and drove it back upon Battle's, which it disordered. Daniel's brigade, of Rodes' division, and Gordon's, of Early's, were soon brought up and regained the lost ground, the latter capturing, by a dashing charge, several hundred prisoners and relieving Doles, who, though hard pressed, had held his ground. General John M. Jones and his aide-de-camp, Capt. Robert D. Early, fell in a desperate effort to rally their brigade. I placed it in reserve to reorganize; Battle's brigade, which had rallied in time to do good service, taking its place in the line which was now formed on the ground first occupied. The brigades were as follows: From right to left of my line, Daniel's, Doles', Battle's (Rodes' division); George H. Steuart's, the Stonewall (Walker's), Stafford's (Johnson's division); Pegram's, Hays', Gordon's (Early's division). Battle's left and Steuart's right rested on the pike. Slight works were at once thrown up and several partial attacks of the enemy repulsed. In a counter attack by Steuart's and Battle's brigades two 24-pounder howitzers, brought up the pike within 800 yards of our works, were captured. The troops were brought back to the works after posting skirmishers to hold the captured pieces till dark, when they were brought off. General Stafford was mortally wounded in a similar attack by his own and the Stonewall brigade late in the afternoon. The fighting closed at dusk with the repulse of a fierce attack on Pegram's brigade. General Pegram was severely wounded, and Colonel Hoffman (Thirty-first Virginia) succeeded to the command. This evening General Ramseur came up with the picket regiments, which rejoined their brigades. Ramseur went to the extreme right of my line next morning. The 6th of May was occupied in partial assaults on my line (now greatly strengthened) and in efforts to find my flank, which were promptly checked. Ábout 9 a. in. I got word from General Gordon, through General Early in person, that his scouts reported the enemy's right exposed, and he urged turning it, but his views were opposea by General Early, who thought the attempt unsafe. This necessitated a personal examination, which was made as soon as other duties permitted, but in consequence of this delay and other unavoidable causes the movement was not begun until nearly sunset. After examination I ordered the attack, and placed Robert D. Johnston's brigade, of Rodes' division (that morning arrived from Hanover Junction), to support Gordon. Each brigade as its front was cleared was to unite in the attack. Hays was partly moved out of his works to connect with Gordon. The latter attacked vehemently, and when checked by the darkness had captured, with slight loss, a mile of the works held by the Sixth Corps, 600 prisoners, and 2 brigadier-generals-Seymour and Shaler. Óf the force encountered not an organized regiment remained, and nearly all had thrown away their arms. They made no attempt to recover the lost ground, but threw back their line, so as to give up Germanna Ford entirely. Major Daniel, of General Early's staff, joined in Gordon's attack and was desperately wounded and maimed for life while gallantly assisting in this brilliant movement. On May 7 no fighting took place except that in extending to join General Hill's left, General Ramseur came upon a division of the Ninth Corps intrenching. This he put to flight by a sudden attack of his skirmishers, capturing several hundred piled knapsacks and occupying the ground. On the night of the 7th the general commanding sent me word to extend to the right, in conformity to the movements of the troops there, and if at daylight I found no large force in my front to follow General Anderson toward Spotsylvania Court-House. This was done. On the march orders were received placing General Early in command of Hill's corps, transferring Hays' brigade to Johnson's division, and consolidating both Louisiana brigades under General Hays, and assigning R. D. Johnston's brigade to Early's division, of which General Gordon came in command. After a very distressing march through intense heat and thick dust and smoke from burning woods, my troops reached Spotsylvania Court-House about 5 p. m., just in time for Rodes to repel an attempt to turn Anderson's right, which rested on the road. Rodes advanced nearly half a mile, when his left, coming upon strong works, was checked and he was forced to halt. Johnson's division formed on his right. Gordon remained in reserve. On the 9th the lines were defined and intrenched. There were two salients-one at Rodes' right brigade (General Doles'), the other at Johnson's center, where I occupied a high open point which if held by the enemy would enable their artillery to command our line. Johnson's right was connected by |